This invention relates generally to balloon catheters and methods of using the same. In particular, this invention relates to balloon catheters for use in angioplasty procedures.
Balloon catheters generally include two lumens. One of the lumens, an inflation lumen, generally runs the length of the catheter and is in fluid communication with the balloon attached to the distal end of the catheter. This permits the balloon to readily be inflated and deflated by the application of fluid pressure at the proximal end of the catheter through the inflation lumen. A second guide wire lumen is usually provided which permits the balloon catheter to be advanced along a previously implanted wire guide to reach remote locations within the vascular system of the patient. In most balloon catheters, the guide wire lumen extends the full length of the catheter, through the interior of the balloon and out the distal end of the catheter. In order to both insert and remove the catheter while leaving the wire guide in place, is necessary that the wire guide have a length equal to at least twice that of the catheter body. Furthermore, the friction interaction of the inner surface of the catheter wire guide lumen with the wire guide tends to inhibit the performance of such catheters and often makes it more difficult for the balloon catheter to be advanced into hard-to-reach remote locations within the vascular system of the patient.
It is desirable that a balloon catheter be provided that does not require an extremely long wire guide and does not have substantial frictional interaction with the wire guide.